Questions and answers about buddhism
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- Monks shave their heads to renounce worldly attachments as the Buddha did and to overcome vanity. - People make merit to help others, not for personal gain, and it brings the community together. - Hell is not a real place but mistakes can make the present life hell; there is nothing after death or beliefs in rebirth or heaven/hell. - Buddhism changes in different cultures; Thailand has Theravada while Japan has Mahayana and less religion now.
Questions and answers about buddhism
- 1. Questions and Answers about Buddhism
- 2. Why do monks shave their heads? 1. Because the Buddha cut his hair off to say goodbye to the world 2. Because monks must be celibate. Hair makes him handsome, but he cannot touch a woman! This may be difficult for him. 3. To overcome vanity.
- 3. Why do we make merit? Many Buddhist’s believe we make merit so we can have good karma for the next life. We should make merit to help others, not to help ourselves. Making merit makes you look good in the community.
- 4. Where is hell? Hell is not a real place. I do not believe you can go to hell after you die. We cannot prove whether or not heaven and hell are real. But if you make mistakes, your life now could become hell.
- 5. Where will we go after we die? YOU as a person will not exist after you die. But when you die, a new life will start somewhere in the universe, and you will be that. You could be any kind of living thing, plant, animal or even artificial intelligence. Some people believe that there is nothing after death. Some people believe in heaven and hell.
- 6. Why is Buddhism in Thailand different from Buddhism in Japan? • Buddhism changes to fit the culture of every place it becomes popular. • Japan has Mahayana and Thailand has Theravada. • Japan and China are not very religious anymore. Buddhism is still strong in Thailand.
- 7. Do you believe in ghosts? I don’t believe there are ghosts in reality. But because they exist in our heads, they exist in a way. If ghosts were real, why would people see them so rarely?
- 8. Why do we have to pray? Some people think they can talk to god, or get good luck by praying. Who are we praying to? Do we really have to pray? Praying is superstition.
- 9. Why can’t monks leave the temple during khao phansa? A long time ago, people didn’t want the monks to step on the young rice plants It also gives monks time to meditate and study
- 10. Do you believe in god? Yin yang of daoism Well, what exactly is god?
- 11. Why don’t monks wear shoes? Monks in some places wear shoes. The vinaya pitaka says that monks should not use luxurious things like shoes.
- 12. Why can’t a woman touch a monk? Monks must not have sexual pleasure Touching a woman may make them sexually excited If monks could touch women they would be distracted from practice.
- 13. Why don’t monks eat dinner? 1. So the monks don’t burden the lay people with more than one meal every day. 2. So that they can learn to deal with desire 3. For health reasons. It makes you more healthy and energetic (supposedly) 4. It gives the monks more time for meditation Eating one meal a day can cause constipation Sometimes monks consume animal urine to help them go to the bathroom
- 14. Why should we follow the 5 precepts? If everyone followed the precepts, the world would be a better place. There would be less suffering. utopia
- 15. Why do monks have so many rules? They Vinaya pitaka has 227 rules for monks. Monks believed that a disciplined life is the way to enlightenment.
- 16. Why don’t monks wear underwear? • They don’t need it! • A monks robe has three parts: an inner(sabong), upper(ungsa) and outer robe (jiworn)
- 17. Why are monks robes orange/yellow? Turmeric dye Monks used to use jackfruit, rubber or wood to dye robes. Yellow is the color of renunciation. Now they use modern dyes made of chemicals The dye protects the robe.
- 18. Why do people make temples? People build temples to make merit. They think it is good karma for the next life. Any place can be a temple if you have jai yen.
- 19. Why do we have Buddhist holidays? • All cultures have holidays. • Holidays give people a chance to practice. Buddhism and have a good time. • They bring the community together. • They mark the passage of time.
- 20. Why do some people become monks? • Some become monks because they need shelter. • Some ordain because their family wants them to. • Some are really interested in Buddhism. • Some want to have a chance to study.
- 21. Where is Buddhism from? The Buddha was born in Kapilavastu, Nepal. He found enlightenment in Bodh Gaya India He gave his first teachings at Deer Park in Varanasi He died in Kusinara
- 22. What is abhidhamma day? • This is a Burmese holiday to celebrate Buddha going to heaven to teach his mother the abhidhamma
- 23. Why did Buddhism come to Thailand? • We don’t know when Buddhism came to Thailand. Maybe in the third century by Asoka, Sona and Uttara. • Theravada Buddhism came in the 13th century.
- 24. What is on top of the Buddha’s head? It is called an urna It shows that the Buddha is enlightened.
- 25. Does a Buddhist break the precept of not killing when he eats meat? Santi Asoke people say yes, it is killing. Most monks and people think it is ok to eat meat if you don’t kill the animals yourself. What do you think?
- 26. Do Buddhist’s believe in god? Some people believe that Buddha had godlike powers. But in Buddhism, there is no creator god that is powerful.
- 27. How many Buddhas are there? • Mahayana Buddhism has over 10,000 Buddhas • Theravada has 7 Buddhas • Some people say there are more Buddha’s than there are stars in the sky • Maitreya is the Buddha of the future
- 28. Why aren’t we immortal? • Everything has a beginning and end • But I don’t think death is “the end”. It is a time to change to a new thing. • “Every chromosome has a telomere. Each time a chromosome divides the telomere becomes shorter”
- 29. Who told the history of the Buddha? • Many different people wrote about Buddha, but Buddhaghosa wrote a lot of the tipitaka.
- 30. Which way do we turn for wien tien? • clockwise
- 31. Why are people greedy? They have fear. They are afraid of losing everything and not having enough to live They want to have a “big face” People are never satisfied.
- 32. How can we know that we’ll be human in the next life? • Some people say that you must make good karma to be human in the next life. • Buddhism says that being a human is the best kind of life there is. • I think it doesn’t depend on karma. I think it depends on chance. A very small chance.
- 33. Why do we put our palms together when we pray? This is called anjali in Buddhism This is done in many cultures and religions It is to show respect, and to calm the body and mind
- 34. Do we have a soul mate? It’s probably easier to find a soulmate from your own culture. I think it is difficult to find a soul mate because it’s so hard to get people to really open their heart I hope you find one You will never find a soul mate if you don’t trust people
- 35. What is the meaning of life? Money, power, fun, love, helping others, success, experiencing everything? It’s up to you.
- 36. Why must we learn about Buddhism? The government of your country wants you to be a good person Buddhism is an important part of Thai culture Did you know that in the past, almost all education was at temples, with monks as teachers?
- 37. Why does Buddhism have the name Buddhism? • Buddha means “the enlightened one” • -ism means it’s a system of belief • -ist means a person who believes it
- 38. Can monks fly? Yes, yes they can.
- 39. Can monks kill an animal? Monks must not kill an animal. A monk must not eat meat that he knows was killed for him. But he can defend himself if he is attacked.
- 40. Why is there holy water in Buddhism? • Holy water makes us pure. • There is holy water in many religions. • It is used for blessings.
- 41. Can good karma cancel out bad karma from the past? • Many people believe that it can. • Some say that it cannot, but the good new karma you make will be rewarded.
- 42. Why can’t we touch a monk’s bowl? You might break it! A long time ago, bowls were easy to break and difficult to make.
- 43. When do the monks pray? • In many temples, the monks pray in the morning, midday, near dinner time, and nighttime.
- 44. Can monks use and handle money? The Vinaya pitaka says that monks should not hold money. Many try not to. But sometimes it is necessary to touch money.
- 45. Why can some people see ghosts, and some people can’t? Some people are crazy, or liars, or cannot see well.
- 46. Do monks wash their robes? Some monks wash their robes themselves. The King of Thailand washed his own robes when he was a monk.
- 47. Can monks travel by car? The Vinaya pitaka says monks should not use luxuries, but many vinaya rules are difficult to follow. Monks cannot sit next to a woman in the car.
- 48. Can monks listen to music and sing? • The seventh precept “Refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments…” • The answer: No. But many do it.
- 49. What is a fast way to get enlightenment? • It depends on which kind of Buddhism you practice, and on your definition of enlightenment
- 50. Should monks shave their beard? • Monks must always shave their head and beard
- 51. What is real Buddhism? • Any kind of Buddhism that makes the world better is “real Buddhism” • Anyone who says they know what “real Buddhism” is is lying or wrong. Buddhism
- 52. Do you think Santi Asoke people really understand Buddhism? • They have their own style of Buddhism • There is no wrong way to practice Buddhism. • But I like some styles of Buddhism more than others.
- 53. Do you think we have enough Buddhism in our life? • You should take what you need from Buddhism. • What is important in Buddhism? Outer Buddhism (ceremonies, praying, temples, statues), or inner Buddhism? (love, generosity and a calm heart)
- 54. What is the best religion? • All religions have good and bad sides • I believe Buddhism is the most open and free religion. It is a “universal” religion • The best religion is the one that is best for your life
- 55. Why can’t Thai nuns be equal to monks? Women cannot ordain in Thailand In most countries they can ordain. This is part of Thai culture.
- 56. How many people really understand all of Buddhism? • No one understands all of Buddhism, even the Buddha What IS Buddhism? The teachings of the Buddha 2500 years ago? Everything that has been added since then? Both? The more you learn, the more you realize that you know very little.
- 57. Why do you want to teach Buddhism? Because I think it is interesting, and it is a core subject at Strisuksa.
- 58. Do you think an amulet can protect you? No.
- 59. Is the story of Buddhism fiction or a true story? Parts are true and parts are fiction. It is impossible to know what really happened 2500 years ago. Monks memorized the story of the Buddha and passed it on.
- 60. Where do superstitions and magic come from? A solar eclipse. When people don’t have enough knowledge, they make stories to explain things. Sometimes people used “magic” to control other people.
- 61. Why do monks chant in Pali? • Pali is the ancient language of Buddhism. • It is important in a religion to keep traditions.
- 62. Why do monks wear robes? • To keep them warm and cover their body. • Robes are easy to make compared to other clothes.
- 63. Why does the world have religion? • Religion helps explain the universe. • Religion shows people how to be good. • Religion brings people in a community together. • Religion gives people hope when they are having difficult times.
- 64. How many past lives did the Buddha have? • The Buddha could remember thousands of past lives. • The Jataka tales tell stories of about 500 of those lives.
- 65. Why is Buddhism one of the most important religions in the world? • It is number 4 in the world for number of followers. • It helps bring peace to the world.
- 66. How can meditation help us relieve stress and help our health? • When we meditate we relax, and stop having unhealthy thoughts that hurt us. • Stress hurts our nervous system. • We will feel better and won’t have stress. • We can live longer if we don’t have stress.
- 67. How should we meditate?
- 68. Why do monks meditate? • They meditate to quiet their mind and lose their belief in the self. • Some monks meditate to reach Nirvana.
- 69. How did the Buddha know that he was enlightened? • Because his mind had no thoughts and was very calm. He felt he was just a part of the world, and not an individual person. He had no desire.
- 70. Why did Buddha go to Kusinagara? • Because it was where he wanted to teach the Mahá-Sudassana Sutta; • Because Subhadda would visit him there and, after listening to his sermon, would become an arahant. • Because the brahman Doha would be there, after the Buddha's death, to take care of his body and spread his bones.
- 71. Why couldn’t Angulimala catch Buddha? “Why can’t I catch you?!” “Because I’ve stopped.”
- 72. How tall was the Buddha? • Some people say that Buddha was about 6 feet tall, or 183 centimeters.
- 73. Why do we take off our shoes to give food to a monk or enter a temple? It is a way to show respect.
- 74. Can we really live without desire? • I think desire is part of human nature. We always want something more. • We cannot win against desire. But we should try to lessen it.
- 75. Why didn’t Buddha want to be king? Buddha was tired of the easy life in the palace. He wanted to leave home to find the truth and end suffering.
- 76. How many countries in the world are Buddhist? There are about 13 Buddhist countries in the world.
- 77. Why can’t monks dig? Monks should not do difficult work with their body.
- 78. Why do we have monks? Monks help keep Buddhism alive and make merit for us. They help us learn about Buddhism and help us when we are having problems in our life.
- 79. Where did the word “monk” come from? • It comes from the greek word “monakhos” which means “alone.”
- 80. Why does the world have many different religions? Different religions fit different cultures.
- 81. Who made the first temple? We don’t know who made the first temple. But the oldest temple or shrine is at Mahadevi temple in Nepal.
- 82. Why does Steve Jobs love Buddhism? • Buddhism was fashionable in America when Steve Jobs was young. He was traveling and learning about the world and wanted to try something new.
- 83. Why did Buddha die? • The Buddha died of food poisoning when he ate some rotten pork.
- 84. Can a woman ordain for her parents? In Thailand a woman cannot be a real nun. But in some countries a woman can ordain. This can make merit for their family.
- 85. Why do many people give a lotus to a monk? It is given to make merit and show respect to the monk. A lotus is a symbol of purity and enlightenment. It comes out of dirty water and is still clean.
- 86. How many monks are there in the world? • Thailand has about 200,000 monks. There may be about 500,000 in the world.
- 87. How do monks put on their robe?
- 88. Why do monks get up early? Because it is a tradition. We often do things just to follow a tradition.
- 89. Can monks go shopping? Monks usually get the things they need from donations. But sometimes they have to go shopping.
- 90. Why are we born? Because of the sperm and the egg.
- 91. Why did Baby Buddha take 7 steps? The seven steps are for the seven directions: North, south, east, west, up, down and here. The seven steps go through all the six realms of suffering, to enlightenment.
- 92. What is the link between spirit and body? • I believe that the nervous system is the spirit, and electricity connects the nerves in your body by sending messages in neurons.
- 93. Why are people afraid of ghosts? People think ghosts are angry spirits that want revenge. Sometimes people are afraid of ghosts even when they know ghosts are not real.
- 94. Why do monks come and chant at a funeral? The monks chant to make merit for the dead person so they can have a good rebirth.
- 95. Why do monks use a cloth to get things from women? • So the woman will not go near or touch the monk.
- 96. Why do some people think we go to heaven if we do good things? • Some people think that god is watching us. He will decide if we are good or bad after we die. • Some people think that making merit makes good karma that lets you go to heaven.
- 97. Why do some people not like Buddhism? • Some people hate religions that are different from theirs because they have strong belief. • Some say Buddhists have a nihilistic way of thinking because they say life is suffering. • Sometimes monks do bad things.
- 98. Why is the birthday, enlightenment day and death day of the Buddha the same? • This day is Visakha Puja day. It is easier to remember all these things on the same day, than making three different days.
- 99. What is enlightenment and nirvana? • In Theravada Buddhism, a person that really learns the four noble truths can be an arahant or enlightened person. After they die they will go to nirvana. • In Mahayan Buddhism, it is when a person sees that everything is changing, and there is no self. Then they will not cling to things.
- 100. Why did the Buddha have light around his head? The halo means he is enlightened.
- 101. What did the Buddha eat? • He ate mostly vegetarian food. Thick milk-rice porridge and fresh ghee (Udana 4.3) Wild rice (Majjhima Nikaya I. 78) Rice with grains (M. 247), (Majjhima Nikaya 36.33) Barley meal honey balls (Vinaya I. 4) Choice rice with curry (Majjhima Nikaya II. 7) Rose apple, mango, myrobalan fruits (Vin. I. 30) Steamed barley and rice (Vinaya, Suttavibhanga 1) Lettuce and fruit salad (Vinaya, Suttavibhanga 33.1) Vegetables and rice (Vinaya, Cullavagga VI 4.1) Milk (Vinaya, Mahavagga VI 34.20) Conjey (watery rice porridge) and honey lumps (Vinaya, VI 24.3-7) Vegetables and bread (Vinaya, VI 36.7)
- 102. Why is the Buddha’s son named Rahula? The name Rahula means “burden” ภาระ or โซ่ตรวน
- 103. In Buddha’s opinion, what is a good way to act? • A good person will follow the five precepts. • They will help others and help their community. • They should always try to learn and improve themselves. • They should not be greedy or have desire.
- 104. Does Ganga live in the river? Yes but you need to scuba dive to meet her.
- 105. Why do you think Buddhism is a good religion?
- 106. Why do monks chant until midnight on monk days?
- 107. Why did Santi Asoke walk away from the Dhamma of the Buddha? • What is the “dhamma of the Buddha?” • The basics of Buddhism are mostly the same in every country • They have changed things about buddhism that they don’t like